Former Taiwan negotiator urges more cross-Straits agreements

Chiang Pin-kung, former chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), on Thursday urged Taiwan to further the follow-up negotiation and signing of agreements under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with the Chinese mainland.

Chiang, now chairman of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, made the remarks at a forum held by the institute in Taipei.

He also urged the island's legislative authority to give a green light as soon as possible to the cross-Strait service trade agreement which was signed by negotiators from the two sides in June.

These efforts will protect Taiwan from being marginalized amid the ongoing regional economic cooperation, he said.

Moreover, Chiang said, the two sides of the Strait should step up their joint efforts in innovation, brand strategy and standard setting in emerging industries.

Taiwan's exports to the mainland that are covered by the ECFA benefits still represent a very low proportion of its total export volume, putting the island at a disadvantage in competition with other east Asian contestants, according to the former SEF chairman.

With current exports from Taiwan to the mainland much larger than that from the mainland to Taiwan, the island will be the bigger beneficiary of more cross-Strait agreements, he said.

Chiang was SEF chairman from 2008 to 2012.

The mainland and Taiwan signed the ECFA, a comprehensive cross-Strait economic pact featuring reduction of tariffs and commercial barriers between the two sides, in 2010.